


Something More to Endure

by crypticColumnist



Category: Naruto
Genre: A very Happy ending, Alternate Universe, Arranged Marriage, Canon Universe, Canon-Typical Violence, Domestic, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Eventual Sex, F/M, Falling In Love, Family Drama, Fix-It of Sorts, Fluff and Angst, Founding of Konoha, Getting Together, Happy Ending, Hashirama loves everyone, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Character Death, M/M, Marriage, Political Alliances, Protectiveness, Rating May Change, Sharing a Bed, Slow Build, Slow Burn, Suicidal Thoughts, Tobirama and Madara are gay disasters, Uzumaki Mito is an evil genius, and the whole Izuna thing gets brought up, and wants them to love each other, damn hippie, i said there would be angst, if you know what i mean, so much, wink wink
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-15
Updated: 2019-07-27
Packaged: 2020-06-28 13:22:17
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,772
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19813153
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/crypticColumnist/pseuds/crypticColumnist
Summary: Political marriages were nothing more than contracts to keep alliances from tearing themselves apart, and they didn't always work out.One certainly couldn't work between an Uchiha and a Senju.Particularly not Uchiha Madara and Senju Tobirama.No matter how much Hashirama thinks they should get along, there's a difference between dreams and reality.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I've been on a Naruto fic writing kick lately and this is the only one that I feel comfortable enough posting right now, probably because, even though I'm writing it as if it's a serious fic, in my head it's 100% crack.
> 
> Anyway enjoy however many chapters of angst as these two losers try not to fall in love with each other and then I make them kiss.

Tobirama took a moment to enjoy the peace before breaking it to investigate his elder brother's uncomfortable silence. He was on edge today. Hashirama was usually calmer while on his customary morning walk through the village, pleased with how things were developing. It was difficult to believe they'd founded Konoha a little more than a year ago. There were now shops lining the streets, restaurants, food stalls, and bars on the corners. A flower shop even opened last month. It was his brother's dream made reality.

"So?" He asked keeping his voice calm after his brother returned from talking with the owner of a new dango shop.

"Hm?" Hashirama, the man who could end wars on his own, turned to him with the look of a child trying to hide the fact that they'd stolen sweets.

Tobirama sighed, for someone called 'The God of Shinobi' Hashirama was inept at hiding his own emotions. "You're fretting over something, I'm listening," He said.

Hashirama stared at him for a moment longer as they continued their walk through the village. Tobirama glared at the ground and decided to wait him out. This wasn't going to continue as a one sided conversation. His brother might be terrible at lying, but he was an expert at stalling. At last he burst out laughing.

"You know me so well Tobirama," He said with a bright smile and a sigh, "I was just thinking about the village," He said as if that wasn't all he thought about- well that and Mito- "And our alliances," Vague.

Too vague for his overly honest brother, "Certainly something worthy of The Hokage's thoughts," Tobirama replied evenly. Hashirama nodded his face far too serious to mean anything good, "Are you worried about one of our allies?"

He flinched, "Not worried per se," He couldn't meet Tobirama's eyes, there was something very bad happening. "Just thinking," He hesitated, "You know I'll be marrying Uzumaki Mito soon?" He looked off, eyes scanning side streets as if his betrothed would appear out of nowhere to save him from this awkward conversation. Tobirama almost wished she would.

"I should, considering that I'm handling the arrangements," Tobirama deadpanned. This was looking worse by the moment, "So why are you bringing it up now, is there a problem?" Hashirama better not have done anything to offend The Uzumaki Clan. They were an important ally and would be a worse enemy. Tobirama narrowed his eyes at his elder brother.

"No, no, Mito and I are getting along," He coughed, and a flush crept up his neck, "Quite well," He added. Tobirama couldn't restrain his smile. His brother was such an earnest person he couldn't imagine The Uzumaki woman not falling for him, and she was a firebrand, which was exactly Hashirama's type.

"Then why are you so worked up?" He asked trying to break free from dancing around the subject, better to rip whatever horrible band-aid off quickly.

Hashirama sighed and hung his head, "I just don't want you to be mad at me," He pouted looking up through his bangs with wide, shinning eyes.

Tobirama felt his eye twitch, "Stalling like this is guaranteeing that I'm mad at you," He pointed out, if his brother would spit it out-

"Mito thinks it would be a good idea if you married a member of one our allied clans," He blurted out so fast that the words seemed to stack upon each other. It took Tobirama a moment to sort through them. When he did he sighed in relief. It wasn't nearly the worst thing that he could think of, and the marriage being Mito's idea was encouraging, at least it would be sensible.

He wasn't particularly against the idea of marriage, not even a political one, and had honestly expected as much once they founded the village, "Mito is a sensible person," He said. Hashirama looked up surprise evident on his face. Tobirama rolled his eyes, "It's not as if I didn't expect this, Ani-ja," He explained, "We're doing something unprecedented, sealing alliances won't be easy, and it's not exactly as if I'm attached to anyone," He finished with a bitter smile.

It wasn't as if he'd ever been attached. Tobirama spent his entire life at war knowing that at any moment he could die, his only encounters were short lived trysts that rarely lasted more than a night. Even once the war between The Senju and Uchiha ended Tobirama was still a shinobi, and his brother's- his Hokage's- advisor, he didn't have time for things like romance. He probably still wouldn't even after getting married.

Hashirama gave him a soft, almost sad smile in return. "I see, well then if you agree-"

"Who?" Tobirama cut him off, because he hadn't agreed yet. It wasn't the marriage itself that worried him it was the political contract created by the marriage. He would be tying whoever he married, whatever clan they came from, irrevocably to Konoha. Though it didn't necessarily matter if the two of them were in love, it was important that whoever he married at least cared for the village. Once more Hashirama turned a look of false innocence onto him. Tobirama repeated his question voice growing more serious and his eyes narrowing into slits, "Who?"

"Our closest allies," He said obviously going for a light tone and missing it by several leagues. He wasn't looking at Tobirama as he spoke. His voice raised several notches and he spoke fast, "One of the founding clans, people we've known for-"

"You want me to marry an Uchiha?" Tobirama hissed, cutting him off, indignation coloring his voice. "Those monsters who spent generations killing our clan, the ones who killed our brothers?" He would rather spend the rest of his life devouring every piece of the village's garbage than marry an Uchiha.

Hashirama's eyes snapped to him, narrowed and angry in a way they only ever got when it was about the peace of the village. "The war is over, and now they're our allies," He said as if Tobirama needed a reminder that while their brothers rotted in the ground there were Uchiha wandering the village alive and well.

"I would do anything for the village Ani-ja-" Tobirama began his voice desperate and breaking.

"Then you'll do this," Hashirama finished, his look daring Tobirama to contradict him. He knew he couldn't go against his brother in this. Not when he had this attitude, not when he thought it was important to the peace and safety of Konoha. It would be as good as treason, and while Tobirama might keep his head, The Hokage might banish even his own brother if he posed a threat to the village.

He had to swallow the bile that rose in his throat before he could speak again, and his voice came out pinched and weak, "Which one of those bastards do you intend to sacrifice me to then?" 

"This isn't a sacrifice Tobirama," Hashirama sighed.

When Tobirama turned to argue he caught sight of the weariness in his brother's face. There were deep bags under his eyes. The heaviness of his shoulders seemed to weigh him down. He reminded himself that for all Hashirama might seem like an airhead, he did his best for everyone. He swallowed his vitriol and waited for his brother pass the verdict.

"You might even wind up being happy you know?" He added with a small smile. Tobirama doubted that he could ever be happy with an Uchiha, that he could ever find something to love about one of them.

"Which one?" He repeated crushing the sympathy he felt for his brother's weariness. He couldn't go into this not knowing. He wanted to know how much Senju blood was on the hands of his betrothed.

Hashirama sighed again, deeper and heavier, "Madara," He said simply.

Ripping the band-aid off quickly.

Tobirama ran.

And found himself in his office in the administration building, desperately gasping for air as he leaned against his desk for support.

His brother wanted him to marry Uchiha Madara? The man who's younger brother Tobirama had killed? The man who had requested his death in exchange for peace? Was his brother an idiot? Did Mito really suggest something that outrageous? The Uzumaki Clan were old allies of The Senju, she must know their history with The Uchiha. She must know Tobirama's own history with Madara, he'd held a sword over the man before, wanted nothing more than to drive it through his heart.

Tobirama turned his back to his desk, leaned against it, and slid to the floor, his breath still coming in ragged gasps. He couldn't do this. It wasn't fair. His entire life was putting things before himself, his clan, his brothers, his father's wishes, and now his village, but this- he couldn't do this. Hashirama couldn't ask this of him.

It was a death sentence. Even if Madara didn't kill him before they finished their vows Tobirama would die a slow death. Surrounded by people who hated him, who would want nothing more than his death and celebrate when it happened. He would find himself on some distant battlefield, and he would be glad when the sword pierced his heart then, at least he wouldn't have to return to the hell home would become if he married Uchiha Madara.

He drew his legs up and curled in on himself, pressing his forehead into his knees like he'd done when he was a child. When life was too much to bear. When he felt like he might drown under it. He needed to think. He couldn't let panic and fear overtake him.

As their father told them countless times, panic kills. Panic was the deadliest thing on the battlefield. More deadly than a cloud of poison gas, it made you stupid and vulnerable. Tobirama was not stupid, and he wouldn't let himself be vulnerable. He would find a way out of this, he needed to think. If Hashirama wouldn't save him, then he would save himself.

This would never work out.

He'd killed Madara's younger brother, it was a scar so deep that Madara held onto it still. He would never agree to the marriage in the first place and if he did-

He would never agree to the marriage.

Tobirama took his first deep breath since arriving in his office.

He could hear his brother's footsteps coming up the stairs of the administration building, easy and calm like he hadn't just thrown Tobirama off a cliff and told him to fly. Tobirama might not have figured out how to fly, but he was a shinobi. He could cling to the walls, run back up to punch his stupid brother in the teeth for putting him in this position, and he would save the village while doing it.

Madara would never agree to marry the man who killed his brother. He would turn down the proposal the moment Hashirama put it forth- in fact it would surprise Tobirama if Madara would condone his marriage to any Uchiha. He wouldn't marry an Uchiha, but he didn't need to be the one to stand against the idea. He could leave that up to that up to them, a move which would cause strife between his elder brother and The Uchiha, it might even be enough to excise them from Konoha altogether.

He didn't need to accept this miserable proposal.

Just like he didn't need to accept a loss on the battlefield. A temporary surrender might produce a new opportunity if he played it right.

If he played it like a shinobi.

Tobirama could hear Hashirama enter his office across the hall. He needed a moment to collect himself and be certain he didn't look as distressed as he still felt. He pushed those feelings down, shoved them away into a corner where Hashirama wouldn't see them and crossed the hall.

He knocked before entering The Hokage's office, though Hashirama always knew who stood outside his door, "Come in," He called.

"Forgive me, Ani-ja," Tobirama greeted as he entered, Hashirama sat at the large wooden desk he'd created with his mokuton jutsu. Something of a joke about looking the part of Hokage. He didn't look angry about Tobirama's outburst, he looked sad. Tobirama walked across the room to stand before him, and sat when Hashirama motioned to one of the chairs.

He shook his head, "I knew you would react poorly," He admitted. 

Tobirama winced, he hoped that no one on the street had overheard their conversation- or saw his breakdown from it. Politically speaking, it wouldn't be good if this got out before things they settled things between the two clans. No matter how it went.

Hashirama continued, "This isn't only for the good of the village," He explained, "Madara is my best friend, and you're my dear brother, I love both of you so much, and you have more in common than you know."

"Very well," Tobirama agreed his voice casual and easy.

"I know it will be difficult for the two of you, of course going from enemies to a wedded couple will be trying, but I know that you're both reasonable men who want to see peace and want what's best for Konoha," Hashirama continued as if he'd prepared this speech in advanced.

"Very well, I'll agree to the marriage," Tobirama reiterated.

"And an Uchiha-Senju match would be unprecedented, it could-" Hashirama stopped, "What?"

Tobirama smiled and hope it didn't look as bitter and predatory as it felt, "I'll agree to the marriage." He repeated.

Hashirama's eyes narrowed in suspicion, "Why?" They were still brothers after all, they had grown up together, lying and tricking each other in childish pranks, it wasn't as if he couldn't see that Tobirama was up to something.

"I suppose even you wouldn't think a moving speech was all it would take to convince me," Tobirama smiled as his brother's suspicious glare turned into a pout. Hashirama did love to give a moving speech. "I'll agree, but Madara never will," He explained.

Hashirama's face fell into confusion.

Tobirama continued, "He'll never agree to marry the man who killed his younger brother," Hashirama's eyes widened in realization, as if he'd forgotten that Tobirama was the one to kill Uchiha Izuna. "I won't be the one to turn The Uchiha away," He said gravely, "But let's see if their loyalty to the village truly does surpass old grudges."

He turned and left the office.

There was more work to do, other alliances to keep, some to make, and others to break.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> It's not that the idea itself is bad, it's just that in practice it's the worst- or second worst thing to happen in Madara's life.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It may be awhile before the next update, but here's Madara's chapter.
> 
> Enjoy this poor disaster of a human getting the worst news of his life (it won't be that way forever) as he Pines for his BFF who just gives him a bro-fist in return.
> 
> Ah, the eternal curse of The Uchiha

Madara understood the benefits of playing shogi, but that didn't mean he found it fun. Playing was like looking across the most boring battlefield in history. He'd rather knock the board aside and goad Hashirama into something, but that wouldn't look good. Their clan head fighting The Hokage, even if it was just a friendly spar, would put the clan in an awkward position. He'd have to find something else to do with all this free time.

Free time.

Something didn't exist during a war, but with The Senju and Uchiha at peace there wasn't much war to be had. Now that they were allies- in a sense of the word, most of the clan members still remained suspicious of each other, but they were working on it- the other clans that were embroiled in their own conflicts began settling old scores and scrambling to make new alliances. Everyone wanted to have their own village.

The villages being founded all around them were nothing more than vermin clustering together at the sight of two powerful clans joining forces. They weren't the bright vision he shared with Hashirama; a world where children weren't sent unprepared into battle. Where shinobi would be trained, not for bloodshed, but to protect each other and all that they hold dear. Where they could join together to stand for something greater than themselves.

He was even willing to set down his grudge over Izuna's death for this bright vision. 

That didn't mean he wasn't bored to tears and itching for a fight.

Madara stretched, yawning loudly, and arching his back until he fell flat onto the deck. The afternoon sun was setting, bright, and warm, a spring breeze passed through the leaves every now and then rustling them in a pleasant melody. If he couldn't fight he might as well let this game lull him into a nap. "Madara-sama," Naori chided her voice soft, "It's your turn."

"What does it matter when I can see how the entire game will play out from just the past few movess?" He replied not bothering to open his eyes.

"Oh?" Naori said in feigned surprised, "Your sharingan has grown so powerful that you can now see the future?"

Madara cracked open an eye and found her smiling at him from across the board. "It's not that difficult to predict a game even children can learn," He scoffed and rolled over to look out into his garden.

Only to be met with a pair of curious dark eyes inches from his own.

As a trained shinobi who had survived battles since childhood Madara did not scream and he did not leap backwards onto his feet with a kunai drawn. Hashirama and Naori laughed at him. "What are you doing here Hashirama?" He demanded voice rising in pitch. He released his white-knuckle grip on the kunai and tucked it back into the sheath beneath his shirt.

Hashirama wiped the tears from his eyes and exchanged short informal bows with Naori. "I can't visit my best friend every once in a while?" He said eyes still bright with mirth as he motioned to Naori asking if he could take a seat across from her at the board. She nodded and he slipped into Madara's place. 

The way Hashirama still called him 'best friend' so easily, even after their decades spent fighting one another in battles to the death, made something warm flutter in Madara's chest. It was the same way he'd felt when they were just two children standing across a river skipping rocks back and forth, giddy and invincible. Madara didn't let that feeling burst forth as it demanded. He tamped it down, refused to let it be seen, and glared at his best friend.

"You seemed like you could use a little excitement," Hashirama offered by way of explaination.

Naori burst into laughter again, "Madara-sama forgive me," She said her voice light and unapologetic, "But with your powers of perception I was certain you'd noticed Hokage-sama long ago," There was a wicked gleam in her eye.

Madara glared at her too, then turned back to Hashirama, "Doesn't our esteemed Hokage have better things to do than disturb a man's peace?" His voice was laced with irritation, but a smile was tugging at his lips. It was as if Hashirama heard his desire for battle from across the village and came to him.

"Not in the slightest," Hashirama replied, face a mask of sincerity.

Madara sighed in feigned annoyance as he returned to the porch and lay down beside the the two players. "Well, what are you doing here?" He repeated idly wondering if Hashirama was also bored and looking for a good match. Perhaps if they moved far enough away from the village they could get away with it?

"Like I said, I'm here to see my best friend," He repeated with a smile. Madara gave him a skeptical look.

It wasn't that Hashirama never stopped by for a friendly visit, but in the past month he'd been spending all of his time with The Uzumaki woman he was engaged to marry. Madara understood the union, even though The Uzumaki were a small clan they were nearly as powerful as The Senju and Uchiha. It would be advantageous to have them, and their newly founded Uzusiogakure, on Konoha's side. He just wished that his friend would pay attention to something besides his bride-to-be.

Not that he grudged Hashirama his happiness.

He was just annoyed.

"And a friendly visit was enough to pry you away from your duties?" Madara challenged lightly, closing his eyes.

Hashirama delayed his response leaving only the sound of shogi pieces clicking against the board to fill the silence. Madara was starting to get annoyed in earnest. As much as he would have liked for Hashirama to be there for nothing more than a friendly visit, it was obvious he wasn't. "I've come with a proposal," He said at last.

Madara's heart leapt against his will, and he restrained the urge to pounce on the comment. Instead he cracked one eye open lazily and just gave a curious hum.

Hashirama smiled down at him as if he could read Madara's thoughts- and he wondered, would that have made their friendship more or less difficult? He looked like he knew exactly how tightly the other man was reigning in his curiosity. "A political marriage between our clans." He explained.

Naori's hand froze over the board, "I should leave you two," She said and rose quickly not waiting for either of them to agree before she hurried from the room.

A thousand thoughts rushed through Madara's mind as her footsteps faded down the hall. His heart felt like it would leap out of his chest, his breath was caught in his lungs, and for a moment he entertained a very dangerous idea. For a moment he saw himself standing side by side with Hashirama as more than just his friend, more than the co-founder of the village, as more-

There was no way, he chided his pathetic heart. Hashirama wouldn't break his engagement with The Uzumaki woman, there was no way he would risk offending one of The Senju's oldest allies, not to mention he was smitten with her.

Madara cut off his own train of thought and slid into Naori's place trying to make the action seem lazy, but he felt like a puppet with a poor puppeteer behind the strings. "You'll need to talk with the old goats about any marriage arrangements," He said taking the piece Naori set aside and placing it on the board.

"I intend to," Hashirama agreed, "But I wanted to speak with you first," He turned his gaze away from the board dragging Madara's eyes up to meet his. It was rare that anyone dared meet an Uchiha's gaze, but Hashirama always met Madara's eyes, even in battle.

Madara reminded himself to keep breathing. "Why?" He hoped his voice held only idle curiosity to Hashirama's ears, and not the hope that threatened to choke him as it clawed it's way up from his heart.

Hashirama dropped his gaze back to the board looking almost guilty. Madara swallowed, the surge of hope suddenly turning bitter as he realized. No, Hashirama wouldn't break his engagement. He loved Mito, honestly and truly, he would marry her without a doubt.

He had something else in mind coming here today, and Madara's stomach turned as the puzzle came together in his mind. They continued to set their pieces, dodging the other's strategies for a few more pointless moves until Madara placed Hashirama in check.

It wasn't the battle he wanted, but it was the most fun he'd ever had playing shogi.

"I'd like you to marry Tobirama."

Madara closed his eyes against the sudden dizzying rage that threatened to overtake him. He breathed through his nose and out his mouth until he quelled it enough to speak. "And what does Tobirama think of this?" He asked trying to keep his voice even.

"He's already agreed to the proposal," Hashirama replied his voice filled withe hope. Madara held back a bitter laugh, of course Tobirama would agree to something so preposterous. He would likely see it as an opportunity to prove Madara, and by extension The Uchiha Clan, couldn't let go of old grudges and therefore weren't to be trusted. "I understand this isn't an ideal suggestion, but I think-"

"Very well," Madara cut him off his voice braced but calm. He doubted that Hashirama was the one thinking about the proposal, this irritatingly clever plan had Uzumaki written all over it. Mito was backing Madara and The Uchiha Clan into a nice little corner. Demanding a sacrifice from him to prove his clan's loyalty lay above old grudges. That even the deepest hatred could be set aside if one truly desired peace. Very clever.

He wanted to put her head on a pike.

Hashirama dropped his piece and his head snapped up to Madara, "What?" His voice was nearly breathless with shock.

It seemed he hadn't anticipated Madara agreeing so easily, or perhaps at all. Madara couldn't blame him for the assumption. If Hashirama had proposed this at the start of the conversation he surely would have refused, but their game had given him time to calm himself and consider.

Consider why Hashirama was visiting Madara personally, why he hadn't sent a liaison to the elders instead, and why he had looked guilty in the moment before he made the proposal. It pieced together nicely when Madara tried to think of the worst thing Hashirama could possibly ask of him. Then it happened just as he predicted.

A game even a child could learn.

"I said 'very well,'" Madara repeated bitter and angry, but he swallowed that emotion, put it away where Hashirama couldn't see the ugly monster that raged inside of him demanding vengeance even at the cost of this fragile peace for which they'd both so desperately fought.

"You did hear me, right? Madara?" Hashirama asked leaning over the board and taking Madara's eyes into his own, "Tobirama? You'll really agree to the marriage?"

It wasn't as if he wanted to, it would be like dying a slow, painful, death by torture, but he could see where saying as much would get him. He could see the pieces moving in his mind's eye. Tobirama would use his refusal as proof that The Uchiha weren't able to set aside their grudges. That would force Hashirama to continue marriage negotiations endlessly, or remove the clan from the village. The battlefields may have changed, but it seemed The Uchiha's war with The Senju still hadn't ended.

Madara put on his most unimpressed look, "Did you not want me to?"

Hashirama shook his head vigorously long hair flying back and forth, "No- I mean yes- I mean of course I wanted you to, but I didn't think..." He stopped shaking and trailed off, "Are you really okay with it?" He asked as he looked guiltily at his hands.

Of course Madara wasn't okay with marrying the man who had killed Izuna, he wasn't happy with much of anything though. This village was his only happiness, and so long as Senju Tobirama continued to be a threat to The Uchiha he was a threat to the peace and stability of Konoha. If Madara could sacrifice himself to mitigate that threat, then what did it matter? He'd been ready to die for his clan since birth.

"It's what's good for the village," Madara replied, "And I want that more than anything," It was the truth, but not entirely. His only consolation in all of this was that Tobirama would be just as miserable as him in their so-called marriage. He let a wicked smile split his face, "Besides what would make Tobirama angrier than me agreeing to do what's best for the village, even if I'd rather throw myself into the ocean?" He finished venomously.

Hashirama dropped his head with a defeated sigh, "The two of you," He said, almost sounding angry.

Madara blinked, "What do you mean?"

"Tobirama agreed for much the same reason," He explained and looked back up, a wry smile overtaking his features, "I told him you two had more in common than you might think," He added.

Madara wanted to hit his so-called friend. "Well," He said anger seeping through his control, "I suppose that means you have another wedding to plan, doesn't it?" He hoped the dismissal was clear. He wanted to be alone. Alone so he could let his emotions loose, so he could rage and burn until he cooled, and could think and plot.

"It does," Hashirama replied nothing but cheer in his voice. He set another piece on the board before standing, "I wonder if Mito would mind a double wedding?" He mused absently before disappearing in a swirl of leaves.

Madara glared at the ghost of him before looking back down at the board.

Checkmate.

He threw the game into the grass.


End file.
